SHIELDReunion leads to faction war
by Farook Qais
Summary: Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns all lost their respective matches at WWE Raw's last pay-per-view; Great Balls of Fire. With SummerSlam around the corner, I have added to the idea of a full-on SHIELD reunion, as well as ideas for faction wars and build-up to WrestleMania 2018.


Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns all lost their respective matches at WWE Raw's last pay-per-view; Great Balls of Fire. With SummerSlam around the corner, I have added to the idea of a full-on SHIELD reunion, as well as ideas for faction wars and build-up to WrestleMania 2018.

Over the past two weeks Raw's biggest crowd reactions have come when Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose were in the ring. I really liked that they fought on August 14th's Raw, despite locking fists to signify their friendship moments later. Booker T. on commentary described it best; "Brothers to the bone."

Throughout wrestling history every generation loves the idea of a faction to follow. The nWo were about strength in numbers. DX were about friendship and pranks. The Horsemen were an elitist gentleman's club. The SHIELD though, having been described as the greatest faction in history (that depends on your opinion), are a major favourite with today's WWE audience because they have shown a unity that can only be described as 'brotherhood'. Their breakup, the fallout, Ambrose not getting over it for years, Reigns hating Rollins' guts; it was all very well written and all three superstars have forged their own paths since.

Here is how I would write what happens next.

For all of the former SHIELD members to lose at Great Balls of Fire is a big deal. But imagine what a bigger deal it would be if they united for the common goal of winning matches and winning gold at SummerSlam.

Ambrose and Rollins beat Sheamus and Cesaro to become Raw Tag Team Champions.

Later that night, during the Fatal-Four-Way main event for the WWE Universal Title, Roman Reigns is at a point where he has Braun Strowman laid across an announcers table at ringside. Roman battles with Samoa Joe and Brock Lesnar. Joe is decked by the timekeeper's corner. Lesnar looks like he is going to do something truly destructive, but then we hear _'Sierra, Hotel, India, Echo, Lima, Delta…'_ SHIELD's music hits and out through the crowd come Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose. They attack Brock Lesnar and it's not long before Ambrose and Rollins lift Lesnar atop Roman Reigns' shoulders and powerbomb him through Bruan Strowman and through the announcers table. Reigns quickly gets back on top of Samoa Joe, gets him in the ring, Spears him and pins for three to become the new WWE Universal Champion. The fans and the commentary team can't believe it. Michael Cole questions whether this was premeditated.

Michael Cole: "I can't believe this. Ambrose and Rollins only just won the Tag Team Titles, how can they insert themselves into this match? This is amazing, but Corey you gotta wonder, was this all part of SHIELD's plan for tonight?"

Corey Graves: "Of course it was Michael! Did you see the look on Reigns face when that music hit? No reaction at all. And when Rollins and Ambrose were out here, did he stop them from helping? Did he ask them to mind their own business? No. Reigns knew exactly what was going on."

Booker T: "I have to agree with you Corey, there was no shock nor wonderment from Reigns. But you know what, the guy has had to deal with a beast, a monster for the past few months and a Samoan Submission Machine. When he saw Ambrose and Rollins reunite on Raw, he must've thought he could trust Dean's judgement and therefore trust Seth Rollins. He must've jumped on the opportunity and told his brothers, when the time is right, lets do this and bring the Universal Title to The SHIELD! Ha haaa, ya gotta love it!"

On Raw the following night the SHIELD's music kicks off the show and one after the other they enter through the crowd, all carrying a Championship Belt each. They get into the ring and soak up the atmosphere and instead of doing any talking, instead of uniting their fists as a show of unity; they unite their Belts, holding them at arms length and clinking them as if they were uniting their fists in traditional SHIELD fashion. Eventually they do talk, each one of them telling the audience, the fans at home, the entire WWE Universe and especially everyone in the locker room…

Dean Ambrose: "The SHIELD are back and there's not a damn thing anybody can do about it!"

Seth Rollins: "Whether it's European knuckleheads like Sheamus and Cesaro. Age old Hardys, Gallows, Anderson, The Revival, monsters or beasts, it's not going to matter who you are or what you represent. We have all the gold on Monday Night Raw an-'"

With that, The Miz's music hits and he declares that the one piece of Gold that The SHIELD don't have is the Intercontinental Title. However, much to everyone's surprise, The Miz offers Reigns, Ambrose and Rollins an extension of The SHIELD. He says that with him and The Miztourage, The SHIELD can truly be stronger than ever. Roman Reigns laughs at this. He has a back and forth off-mic with Ambrose and Rollins and then he states that The SHIELD don't trust The Miz as far as they could throw him. Reigns states a number of reasons why The Miz and his Miztourage would be allowed nowhere near the unity of The SHIELD. Including the most recent rivalry he had with Dean Ambrose over on SmackDown Live. Then he says…

Roman Reigns: "In fact Miz, if it's alright with Kurt Angle, I think the three of us would like a match with you tonight. The SHIELD versus Miz and his Miztourage. And we know you're scared. In fact you're lucky that we don't have a fourth, or else we would be coming after the Intercontinental Title. For tonight though, we're good with beating you up. How about that?"

The Miz fumes at Reigns' supposed disrespect and after the break the commentators declare that Kurt Angle has made that match for the main event later that night.

As the weeks go by, Roman Reigns has to deal with a Title challenge from Samoa Joe. But Braun Strowman is often on the scene and while during their one on one's Kurt Angle was pleading with Strowman not to hurt people, Kurt soon found himself asking The SHIELD not to hurt people the very same way. Rollins and Ambrose would be present at ringside for Reigns' matches and vice versa, Roman would sit at commentary during his buddies' tag team bouts. The SHIELD are in total control for a couple of months.

But then comes Survivor Series.

Bray Wyatt seems to think the spotlight and control of Monday Night Raw has been taken away from him and put on The SHIELD. Bray thinks that the people don't follow the buzzards because they instead choose to follow The SHIELD. So he has a plan in mind. For Survivor Series, Bray proposes that there is a three on three main event. It's his three versus The SHIELD and if his three win, not only do they get future Tag Team and Universal Title shots, but they also add the stipulation that The SHIELD can no longer be at ringside for each other's matches. Bray says he already has one of his partners and that man is Braun Strowman. Kurt Angle likes the idea of the match. He says that Survivor Series is a stacked card and that it would be apt to see if The SHIELD could truly survive this challenge to their dominance. But Kurt states that it has to be fair the other way too. So, a stipulation in favour of The SHIELD is that if they win, Braun Strowman gets put up for trade to SmackDown Live. Kurt says that while he doesn't want to lose a talent like Strowman, he does see Braun as a headache that he simply doesn't have the energy for any more. Wyatt and Strowman go for the deal and declare that if their team win at Survivor Series, it would be the two of them that went for the Tag Team Titles.

Kurt Angle: "So who's your third? Who's going to challenge for the Universal Title if you win? Bray?" The lights go out. "Bray?"

The person Bray Wyatt asks to be in his corner at Survivor Series, with the promise of an opportunity at the Universal Title… is Finn Balor.

While SmackDown Live has their traditional five-on-five Survivor Series match, Raw has a main event for Survivor Series that could change the landscape of WWE. After their rivalries throughout 2017, Braun Strowman is in a position where he may have to leave Raw. Finn Balor is in a position where he is teaming with an enemy by the name of Bray Wyatt.

The match happens and The SHIELD win. While Bray and Braun have team chemistry, they don't have anything of the same with Finn Balor. Unfortunately for team Bray, they lose their shot at future Title opportunities. Or do they?

Braun Strowman kicks off the following Raw stating that he's going to be on SmackDown Live the following night, but for that night only he wanted one man in the ring one on one; Bray Wyatt. Braun says that Bray has cost him the Universal Championship by agreeing this deal that now sends him to SmackDown Live. Kurt Angle makes the match and while it's a hell of a main event, Bray Wyatt walks out of the contest, leaving Strowman to win via count-out.

During that very same Raw Finn Balor calls out The SHIELD. He says that he's not calling them out to fight, but instead he's calling them out to shake their hands. Finn says that it's because of them that Braun Strowman was leaving Raw.

"Hopefully from now on we'll only see his mug at the Royal Rumble." Finn jokes.

There's friendly banter back and forth, but then Roman Reigns says that Finn Balor is perhaps the last honourable man on Monday Night Raw.

Finn Balor: "What do you mean there fella?"

Roman Reigns: "Well think about it. Strowman, Samoa Joe, Bray. Even Big Cass has come after my Title and we have had to deal with it. You know what Finn, I'm going to offer you a match. A one on one."

Seth Rollins puts his hand over Reigns' mic and shakes his head. He talks to Reigns off-mic and Ambrose joins in too. Reigns shakes his head.

He continues: "No no, it's fine. Since we've been back together we've had each other's backs and we've had to because of monsters among men like Braun Strowman. But this is Finn Balor. He doesn't cut corners and he doesn't cheat. And as I recall, you had an injury that meant you had to give up this Title right?"

Finn Balor: "Right."

Roman Reigns: "So have a match against me. A fair one on one. No SHIELD at ringside, no stipulations other than the fact that the Universal Title is on the line."

Finn Balor: "Are you sure you wanna do that? I can beat you you know?"

Roman Reigns: "I'm glad you're confident. I guess we'll have to wait and see."

While it was a noble idea for Reigns to give Balor a fair one on one, it was a bad idea. Finn Balor defeats Reigns at the Raw pay-per-view before the Royal Rumble thanks to help from Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. After raising the Title as new Universal Champion, Balor gets on mic and leans over Roman Reigns to say "Balor Club, bitch."

At Royal Rumble, when Reigns has his rematch, Kurt Angle stipulates that there shall be no outside interference from Ambrose, Rollins, Gallows nor Anderson. Unfortunately for Reigns, the man that interferes to cost him the Title is SmackDown Live's AJ Styles. After which, Styles reveals a Club t-shirt. Later that night, while AJ is competing in the Royal Rumble, Roman Reigns interferes and this leads to Styles being eliminated.

Everything builds toward WrestleMania where Club members Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows have a showdown with the Raw Tag Team Champions Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. Roman Reigns goes one on one with AJ Styles in an inter-promotional SHIELD versus Club, Raw versus SmackDown match. And Finn Balor gets his time at the very top, defending the WWE Universal Title at WrestleMania against the man who was traded for Braun Strowman in the first place; John Cena.

While initially not wanting to leave SmackDown Live, Daniel Bryan convinced Cena of the trade because it was an opportunity for Cena to go after the Universal Championship – a Title Cena hadn't won. At WrestleMania, Cena would get his opportunity against the leader of The Club, Finn Balor.

A lot can happen thereafter. Whether it's between The SHIELD and The Club, the fact that there are only three SHIELD members and three plus AJ Styles Club members, makes for every opportunity for WWE to build long standing rivalries between the two factions. With superstars like Kevin Owens, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bruan Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Orton, Samoa Joe and others as part of the mix, WWE can have some memorable rivalries and spectacular matches from SummerSlam 2017 and beyond.

I have written a story previously where a lady like Sasha Banks joins The Bullet Club and she has a 'Banks Club' t-shirt and AJ Styles has a 'Styles Club' t-shirt. Imagine the merchandising possibilities.

Imagine the first female member of the SHIELD being a Nia Jax or Charlotte?

The possibilities are endless.

Thank you for reading. I aspire to become a WWE Creative Writer. I hope this and the link to my Tumblr archive show you what I can do.

Please tell your friends to read my work. Most importantly, tell WWE.

Farook of Crawley, August 19th 2017

Farook Qais

BA Hons, Creative Industries


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